Arrangement with a card for value transactions

ABSTRACT

On initiation of a value transaction, a card can be utilized which can be read by a card-reading equipment which provides information and/or means or cash in dependence on the initiation. An adapter can be applied or allocated to the card, which adapter is applicable in the card-reading equipment in a corresponding manner to the card. The adapter is arranged to provide an indication of whether or not the card-reading equipment is authentic and/or has the authority to service the card in question.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an arrangement with a card which can beused in initiating a value transaction and which can be read incard-reading equipment which provides information and/or means independence on the initiation.

2. Discussion of the Background

Such cards are well known per se and are utilized in connection withpaying for goods and services. The cards can also be used incash-dispensing equipment of the Bankomat, Minuten, etc. type. The cardsoccur as payment cards in various connections and can also constitutepetrol cards, food-stuff cards and so forth. The card can be providedwith intelligence to a greater or lesser extent. When the card is used,the card is identified by the card-reading equipment which, depending onwhether the card is acceptable, supplies information, provides means,confirms transactions and so forth. Such cards and card-readingequipment are already well known and occur in large numbers on themarket.

The card-reading equipment always verifies whether the card can beaccepted for a transaction or not. In contrast, there is normally nocorresponding control on the part of the card as to whether thecard-reading equipment is acceptable on the part of the card owner. Itis important to be able to provide equipment which makes such anauthenticity check possible on the part of the card. In such a check itis also important that the card equipment does not retain the card forit to be utilized in an improper way.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the invention to solve these problems, among others.

That which can mainly be considered to be characterizing of anarrangement according to the invention is that an adapter can be appliedor allocated to the card, which adapter, in turn, can be applied in acorresponding manner to the card in the card-reading equipment. Afurther characteristic is that the adapter is arranged to provide anindication of the authenticity of the card-reading equipment and of itsauthority to service the card in question. In further developments ofthe concept of the invention, the adapter carries a slot for receivingthe card and a plate-shaped part for enabling the adapter to be insertedinto the slot of the card-reading equipment with the received card. Theinbuilt intelligence of the card, that is to say the circuits,microprocessor and so forth which exert this intelligence, canparticipate wholly or partially in a procedure determining theauthenticity or authority of the card-reading equipment. Alternativelyor as a supplementary measure, the adapter can comprise circuits andelements exercising intelligence. The adapter also comprisesenergy-supplying and indicating elements. The adapter can thus comprisemicroprocessor elements with associated space. In one embodiment, theadapter is designed in such a manner that the determination ofauthenticity and authority can be done by means of the adapter alone,that is to say the card does not need to be placed in the adapter. Inthis case, the adapter thus does not need to include any card-receivingelement either, for example in the form of slots or the like.

In a preferred embodiment, the adapter is designed to be flexible, whichmeans that, in principle, it can be carried by a card user.

ADVANTAGES

That which has been proposed above provides a simple possibility foreach card user to check whether the particular terminal in which thecard is to be used is authentic or not. The card can thus be protectedagainst improper sequestration or utilization of information on the cardor other information such as, for example, the PIN code which isprovided by the card owner to the card reader/terminal. The present cardembodiments can also be retained for the said authentication ordetermination of authority. The card does not need to be designed withits own indicating elements or own battery supply, which considerablycomplicate the card construction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A presently proposed embodiment of an arrangement which exhibitedsignificant characterizing features of the invention will be describedbelow, at the same time referring to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows in side view and in principle an adapter into which aconventional card is inserted and where the adapter, in turn, isinserted into a slot in a card-reading equipment, and

FIG. 2 shows in side view a flexible embodiment without a card whichcontains its own intelligence for determining authority, and indicatingand power-supplying elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In FIG. 1, a terminal, for example an automatic cash dispenser, isspecified by 1. The terminal comprises in a manner known per seacard-reading equipment 2 with a slot 3 for receiving an appropriatecard. Since the card-reading function is well known per se, it will notbe described in further detail here.

In the slot 3, an adapter 4 is inserted which, in turn, is provided witha slot 5 for a conventional card 6, for example of the Bankomat cardtype. The adapter includes indicating elements in the form oflight-emitting elements 7 and 8. A power supply element 9 is alsoincluded. In the present case, the adapter also includes circuits 10which can include a microprocessor with associated memory elements. Whenthe adapter assumes its inserted position in the slot 3, anauthentication and/or authority procedure is carried out on the part ofthe adapter with respect to the card-reading equipment. In thisprocedure, the adapter determines if the terminal 1 has relevantauthentication or authority. This determination process can be carriedout in a manner known per se by means known per se. If the terminal 1 isauthentic, the element 7, which can consist, for example, of a greenlight, is initiated or lit. If this said approval on the part of theadapter is not present, a red light 8 can be lit. This provides the carduser with an indication of whether he or she should continue to use theterminal or not.

The proposed equipment can also be designed in such a manner that itutilizes any intelligence present in the card 6 in the saiddetermination procedure. This can also be done in a manner known per seand with known means.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment in which the adapter itself lacks a slot forreceiving an appropriate card. The adapter is inserted in correspondingmanner into the slot 3 as the adapter 4 in FIG. 1. In the embodimentaccording to FIG. 2, the adapter 4' includes indicating elements 7' and,respectively, 8' in corresponding manner. A power-supplying circuit 9'is also included which can comprise a battery arrangement of a typeknown per se. Furthermore, a microprocessor 10' with associated memoryspace is included.

The above-mentioned adapters are preferably designed in such a mannerthat they cannot be drawn into the card-reading equipment 2 and retainedby it. In the illustrative embodiment, the adapter according to FIG. 1therefore exhibits stop surfaces 11 which can interact withcorresponding surfaces 12 on the terminal 1. The said stop surfaceslimit the degree to which the adapter can be drawn into the slot. Theadapter according to FIG. 2 has in a corresponding manner a stop surface11' which can interact with the said stop surface 12 on the terminal.

In the illustrative embodiment according to FIG. 1, a respective adapterthus exhibits a plate-shaped part 13 or, respectively, 13' by means ofwhich the adapter can be inserted into the slot 3. The adapter alsocomprises a part 14 and respectively 14' which is widened in relation tothe plate-shaped part.

In the adapter or card, possibly also in the card reader (terminal),information and/or software is required for checking the card reader(terminal). For example, the adapter includes this for:

its own identity

communication with the card

communication with the reader

In certain systems, there is no procedure for identifying theterminal/reader such as, for example, Bankomat with magnetic strip cardsor systems with cards which have low intelligence. In this case, theterminal is supplemented with software for identifying it to theadapter. The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown in theabove by way of example but is subject to modifications within the scopeof the subsequent patent claims and concept of the invention.

I claim:
 1. Arrangement with a card which can be used in initiating avalue transaction and which can be read in card-reading equipment whichprovides information and/or cash in dependence on the initiation, and anadapter can be applied or allocated to the card, which adapter can beapplied in a corresponding manner to the card in the card-readingequipment, and in that the adapter is arranged to provide an indicationof whether or not the card-reading equipment is authentic and has theauthority to service the card in question, characterized in that theadapter includes circuits operating with intelligence which wholly orpartially participate in an authentication- or authority-determiningprocedure with respect to the cardreading equipment, the adapter isarranged so that it cannot be swallowed by the card-reading equipment orthe terminal including the letter, the adapter comprises first stopsurfaces which can interact with corresponding second stop surfaces onthe terminal with the aim of making it impossible for the adapter to bedrawn into the card-reading equipment and to be retained by the same. 2.Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the adaptercarries a slot for receiving the card and a plate-shaped part forenabling the adapter to be inserted into the slot of the card-readingequipment with a received or inserted card.
 3. Arrangement according toclaim 1, characterized in that circuits or elements operating with anintelligence in the card wholly or partially participate in anauthenticity check or authority-determining procedure with respect tothe card-reading equipment.
 4. Arrangement according to claim 2,characterized in that circuits or elements operating with anintelligence in the card wholly or partially participate in anauthenticity check or authority-determining procedure with respect tothe card-reading equipment.
 5. Arrangement according to claim 1,characterized in that the adapter includes power-supplying andindicating elements.
 6. Arrangement according to claim 2, characterizedin that the adapter includes power-supplying and indicating elements. 7.Arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that the adapterincludes power-supplying and indicating elements.
 8. Arrangementaccording to claim 4, characterized in that the adapter includespower-supplying and indicating elements.
 9. Arrangement according toclaim 1, characterized in that the adapter includes a microprocessorwith associated memory.
 10. Arrangement according to claim 2,characterized in that the adapter includes a microprocessor withassociated memory.
 11. Arrangement according to claim 3, characterizedin that the adapter includes a microprocessor with associated memory.12. Arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that the adapterincludes a microprocessor with associated memory.
 13. Arrangementaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the card has a flexibleconstruction which entails that it can be carried by the card owner. 14.Arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the card has aflexible construction which entails that it can be carried by the cardowner.
 15. Arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that thecard has a flexible construction which entails that it can be carried bythe card owner.
 16. Arrangement according to claim 4, characterized inthat the card has a flexible construction which entails that it can becarried by the card owner.
 17. Arrangement according to claim 1,characterized in that the adapter includes a plate-shaped part and apart which is widened in relation to the latter.
 18. Arrangementaccording to claim 2, characterized in that the adapter includes aplate-shaped part and a part which is widened in relation to the latter.19. Arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that the adapterincludes a plate-shaped part and a part which is widened in relation tothe latter.
 20. Arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in thatthe adapter includes a plate-shaped part and a part which is widened inrelation to the latter.